May 30: 6:15 p.m., The Catholic University of America 25th American Cardinals Dinner,
New York

Cardinal’s Appointments

Cardinal George approved the following
clergy appointments on April 24:

Pastor:

Rev. John R. Waiss, to be pastor
of St. Mary of the Angels Parish,
North Hermitage, with residence at Opus
Dei Residence, North Wood Street, effective
May 1.

Administrator:

Rev. Charles Watkins,
to be administrator of Mother of God
Parish, Burnham, while retaining his duties
as pastor of St. Columba, South
Greenbay Avenue, effective immediately.

Pastor emeritus:

Rev. Medard Laz, to
retire after 44 years of service to the
church, and be pastor emeritus of Holy
Family Parish, Inverness, effective immediately.

Retirement:

Rev. Haldane R. Mysliwiec,
from chaplain at Holy Family Medical
Center, Des Plaines, to retire after 43
years of service to the church, effective
immediately.

Rev. Kevin Spiess, to retire after 27
years of service to the church, effective
immediately.

The month of May, in Catholic devotional
life, is dedicated to honoring
the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The forms of popular devotion are both
traditional and contemporary. They include
the Rosary, in which the mysteries
of Jesus’ life with her are contemplated,
and the Litany of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, in which her titles are recited.
These two prayers are the core of May
devotions in parishes and schools and,
still, in many homes.

When I made my First Communion on
May 5, 1945, all of us were enrolled in
the Confraternity of the Scapular of Our
Lady of Mount Carmel. The “brown
scapular” was to be worn as a sign of devotion
to the Mother of God and a pledge
of her protection, especially at the hour
of death. It was replaced in daily wear by
a medal, for convenience’s sake. While
the custom of wearing religious medals
died away after the Second Vatican
Council, they can still be seen around the
neck of a few courageous souls.

The custom of crowning the statue of
Our Lady with fresh flowers has become
more common again in the month of
May. We had better hymns to Mary a few
decades ago, with lyrics and melodies I
can still sing. Many hymns now seem
pretty lean in theological content.

The theological basis of devotion to
Mary is rooted first of all in her motherhood.
She was preserved from sin to prepare
her to be the mother of God’s only
Son. Full of grace, she consented to
God’s plan for her without always understanding
its full implications. She had to
ponder and pray.

As she lost her son to death, she heard
him give her his beloved disciple as her
son. We join St. John as her children, because
we are one with her son in our
baptism. This is the second basis of devotion
to Mary: discipleship. She is present
at every key moment of Jesus’ life
and death and is present at the birth of
his church on Pentecost Sunday. Her desire
to do God’s will and only God’s will
purged her of the self-righteousness that
stands in the way of so many becoming
genuine disciples of the Lord. A selfrighteous
person has no need of God’s
righteousness, which alone brings life
and salvation.

Because she wants her son’s sacrifice
for our salvation to succeed, we can
count on her help in trials and temptations.
For young people especially, devotion
to Mary helps preserve habits of
chastity and prevents their being trapped
in ways that destroy their lives before
they have a chance to discover the beauty
of genuine love. These days pornography
has become epic and its destructive consequences
can be seen in married life and
in the “hook-up” culture that we hear
about on college campuses.

There is help for freeing oneself from
addiction to pornography. The archdiocese
has a program called “Critical Conversations”
that is part of the training
given priests and deacons and, soon, lay
ministers as well. It combines videos and
discussion with prayer, and has been
helpful not only pastorally but also personally
for those who have participated
in it. The archdiocese also has a chastity
education program for high school students
that has proven itself helpful in
giving young people the courage to be
chaste and therefore free. Parents are, as
always, key to helping their children set
out on the way to authentic happiness.

Mary accompanies us on that way, if
we ask her. She respects our freedom, as
God respected hers. But she is there to
protect us if we ask. May is the month to
ask. God bless you.